Faith and the mystery of the summer secret
by Ms.Wings
Summary: This story is formerly known as Vacation. The whole family goes to Cape Cod for a relaxing summer. But this summer turns out to be anything but relaxing when Monica and Andrew are reunited with someone from their past and Tessa finds a part of herself tha
1. We're going on vacation

Chapter 1- We're Going on Vacation

It was several months after Monica and Andrew had returned from the Island. Summer and the girl's birthdays were fast approaching. Tessa was taking a leave of absence from casework and spending the rest of the year with them, just like the old days, and Tess had joined them, just like the really old days. While they were on the Island they had discussed taking a vacation with the whole family, and now they were planning it.

There had been some debate regarding where they should go, but finally it was decided upon. The family would spend their vacation in Cape Cod and they would leave the next morning. The kids, needless to say, were very excited despite the fact that they'd lost their campaign to go to Disneyland.

"I'm so glad you're back Tessa." Zoe said, throwing a sweater to her sister, who shoved it into her suitcase.

"Me too. It feels so good to be home!"

"I'm glad that you're coming on vacation with us too. After all, if you didn't come, I'd be all alone."

"That's right. Plus, I'd feel cheated if I didn't go on this trip."

"So, what are you wearing tomorrow?"

"Zoe, we'll be in the car, save the good stuff for later."

"You're right. So just jeans and a t-shirt."

"Right."

"Okay. What are you bringing?"

"You haven't packed yet, have you?"

"No." Zoe admitted.

"But you're not finished."

"No I'm not, but you must get started."

"That's right, I should, shouldn't I?"

"Just bring sweaters, shorts, tennis skirts. In short, think Polo Ralph Lauren."

"Oh." Zoe finally understood.

………………..

"Bet you I can jump higher." Michael challenged his sister as they bounced on their beds.

"You can not!"

"I can too."

"You're on!" Olivia accepted her brother's challenge. So the twins started jumping on their beds.

"Hey, guys, calm down." The twins stopped and landed on their beds with a thud upon hearing their father's voice.

"It's bed time guys." Gloria said as she came in and turned on the nightlight.

"But Mom…" Michael wined. His sister, on the other hand, saw no point in complaining, and climbed into bed at once.

"Good night Michael." Gloria kissed her son. "You have a long day tomorrow."

"Gloria?" Adam asked once they'd shut the door.

"Yes."

"I think that Olivia isn't as much of a kid as she needs to be."

"What do you mean?"

"Most kids her age are fascinated by playdough, but, instead, she reads Plato."

"What's the problem with that?"

"What do you mean, 'what's the problem with that?'" He asked as he followed her down the stairs.

"Adam, I think that we need to influence her genius."

"When was the last time you saw her do some of the kid things that her brother does? Or play house with Sophie. Or not already know what's being taught in her class that day in school."

"Never." She said.

"There, do you see my point now?"

"Yes. What do you propose we do about it?" She asked as she started packing food for their vacation.

"Maybe we should take away her books for the summer."

"No." Gloria gasped. "Adam, that's too cruel. She loves her books."

"It might slow her mind down a little bit."

"If we take her books, you know that she's smart enough to get some on her own. In fact, I think she just might be smart enough to trick you into giving her her books back."

"I didn't think of that! But if we don't alter this now she's going to be catalogued as some sort of super genius. She'll be like Einstein."

"Adam, incase you haven't noticed she is a super genius."

"That's true, she's smarter than even you are. But still, I'm taking her books away. Just for the summer."

"At least leave her with something in the second grade level, okay."

"Good, it's a deal."

………………….

"Goodnight Sophie." Monica said, kissing her youngest daughter, as Andrew lifted her into her crib, he kissed her too.

By the time that Sophie's head hit her pillow she had fallen asleep.

"Andrew, I think that our baby is too big for her crib."

"Me too." He said as he rubbed her hand.

"Well, I guess it's time that we get her a big girl bed."

"I guess so."

"This is perfect; the house that we're vacationing in doesn't have a crib, just three twin beds in the girl's room."

"I just hope she takes this well." He said as they closed Sophie's door and headed down the hall. Monica knocked on their older daughter's door.

"Come in!" they shouted in unison.

"Good night girls." Monica said, kissing each one of them.

"Good night Mom."

"I love you so much, girls." Their father said, pulling each of them into his embrace, and kissing the top of their heads.

"We love you too." They said.

"When you're finished packing, it's bedtime." Monica said, shutting the door behind them.

………………..

The next morning was a busy one. Monica was helping the girls finish their packing. Andrew was trying to help Sophie prepare for the long drive. Tess was also preparing for the trip. Gloria and Michael had gone to get a few last minute things. Meanwhile, Adam had decided that this was the perfect time to have a much needed conversation with his daughter. He knocked on her door.

"May I come in?" He inquired.

"Of course" Came a little voice, "Hi Daddy." She said, delighted to see him.

"Hi honey, you and I have to talk."

"Is there something wrong?" She asked, concerned immediately.

"Well, I think that you need to be a little more kid-like, that's all."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I don't know any other preschoolers who read. They just play."

Olivia seemed puzzled.

"Olivia, I'm taking your books away." He felt awful when her eyes welled up with tears. "Oh honey, I'm doing this for your own benefit. You need to be a kid. Your only three you know." Tears poured down Olivia's cheeks. "Please, Daddy, don't. What did I do?" She cried.

Adam felt really guilty.

"You didn't do anything. This is for your own good." He kissed her and began to collect her books.

"Please don't take all of them." She pleaded.

"I won't. You can have this, and this." He handed her two books.

"But Daddy, these are baby books, they're only ten pages long and they have big words, two words, per page."

"And this, is for you." He said as he handed her a package that he'd kept hidden outside the door.

Once her father left with her books Olivia sat on her bed, staring at the unopened present. She didn't want to open it, but finally curiosity got the better of her.

………………….

"Daddy, where are we going?" Sophie asked as her father tied her shoes.

"On vacation."

Sophie didn't say anything.

"Lets see, do we have all you're stuff?" He asked, double checking her suitcase. "Do you have everything you need?"

"Yes." She nodded.

"Okay." He said as he lifted her into his arms. "I don't think that your Mommy and your sister's are going to be ready for a little while, so why don't you and I go get some ice cream?"

"Yay!" She squealed.

………………..

"Do either of you have any idea how to pack for a vacation?" Monica asked.

"I guess we don't." Tessa said.

"Girls, what in the world do you need snow boots for?"

"We don't?" Zoe guessed.  
"Good, that's right, you don't."

"Are you mad, Mom?"

"No Zoe, I'm not mad. I'm just a little surprised that you're eleven and seventeen and neither of you can pack a suitcase properly."

"Hey, she packed her own." Tessa said, as Zoe's suitcase was filled with way more frivolous objects than her own.

"I said both of you didn't pack properly."

"What's wrong with mine?" She asked.

"Well, let's see…" Monica began to go through Tessa's suitcase. She watched curiously, just dying to know what she'd done wrong.

"Ah. Here's a good example. We're going to Cape Cod, not skiing girls. Why did you bring gloves Tessa?"

"Easy, cool nights on the beach."

"It won't get that cold. Not for skiing gloves." Monica said, tossing them into the now large pile of things that they didn't need to bring.

"Are we done yet?" Zoe groaned.

"Yes girls, anything else you need?"

……………….…

A doll? What was she supposed to do with a doll? She didn't dislike it. In fact, she had to admit that it was a very pretty little doll. She actually liked it a lot. Still, she didn't know what to do with it. She decided that the best thing to do would be to ask Sophie when they got to Cape Cod. As for her father and her books, she was upset and confused. She was not willing to go on such a long drive with her dad. So, she grabbed her doll and her backpack, (as her suitcase was already downstairs), and she went down the back stairs and into the kitchen. When she headed into the backyard she finally found who she was looking for.

"Hi."

"Hi sweetie." Tess turned around and bent down to her level. "shouldn't you be getting ready?"

"I am ready. I just wanted to know if I could go with you, in your car."

"Of course, just ask you're Daddy first, okay angel?"

"Daddy and I aren't speaking."

"Oh."

"Yes. He's taken my books away."

"He only means well. Listen, go ask your Daddy."

"Okay." She sighed and turned around and went back into the house.


	2. Stories on the open road

Chapter 2- Stories on the open road

Olivia had been allowed into go with Tess. She sat in her car seat, studying her new doll, carefully.

"Who's your friend there?"

"Friend?"

"Yes, that little dolly your holding."

"She's a friend?"

"Yes, she's your friend."

"Really? I thought she was just plastic and stuffing."

"No; she's full of love."

"Oh. Grandma, why am I so smart? I'm too smart for my own good."

"That's a long story. Your mother used to ask me the same thing."

"She did?"

"Yes, you see, you got your genius from your Mommy."

"I know that, but why is mommy so smart?"

"You're mommy was created to be that smart, because the world is getting faster, and her mind, and your mind work very much like a computer."

"Oh. That makes sense now. But Daddy wants me to be like a little kid, right?"

"Right, and that's because, that's what you are."

"I know." She sighed.

………………..

"Daddy, have you ever been in a war?" Zoë called from the back seat.

"Yeah. What would make you ask that Zoë?"

"I was just wondering."

"Which one?" Sophie asked.

"Lots little angel. Since I've been an angel of death I've been in World War I and II, Vietnam, all of that."

"What about before?" Tessa asked, suddenly growing curious, as her dad had never told her about any war he had experienced.

"Well, before I was an angel of death I didn't have the opportunity to go to as many wars as I have since, but I had some civil war experiences and was in some revolutions too."

"Are we there yet?" Sophie asked.

"No." Her mother said gently. "Andrew, how about a story."

"A story?"

"Yes, for the girls."

"Yes, Daddy a story, please?"

"Please?"

"Please?"

"Ah, it would be my pleasure. Girls, what do you want to hear?"

"Have you ever been to Cape Cod before?"

"Yes. I have, and that, is a good story, now that I think of it. Let's see, where did it begin? When did it begin?"

"I was there too, actually, if I'm not mistaken, didn't happen the summer we were first married."

"I think it did Angel Girl, oh yes, I remember now. It was summer 1997. Your Mommy and I were just married. We were in horrible need of a vacation and unfortunately, we knew that we weren't going to get one. We were, however, excited when we discovered that our next assignment was to be in Cape Cod."

………………..

It was summer, and it had been an eventful year for Monica and Andrew. When the year began they were nothing more than great friends, and now they were husband and wife. They had been working very hard on their assignments for so long they couldn't even remember. Now they were hoping for a break, and they we're not about to have one, instead they were assigned to be vacationers, and they were to stay at a hotel in Cape Cod. It was a big, beautiful white Victorian mansion on a high cliff overlooking the sea. And while it seemed like a very pleasant place, the owner was in bad need of an angel; or in this case, two angels. Her name was Amelia James.

Amelia was in need of an angel not because of something she'd done, but because of something that was going to happen to her. She was a good woman, but not a particularly religious one. Ms. James was going to die, and she did. She was crushed to death by a chandelier. When Andrew came to take her home, however, she refused to go, and so she stayed in the house.

"And she's still there to this day." Andrew finished. His story, although short, had left his daughters shocked and wide-eyed.

"Wow Daddy!"

"That's amazing."

"Scary."

"Yeah, you're right Sophie, it is scary."

"Will we like Cape Cod?" Tessa changed the subject as she could clearly see the fear illuminated in Sophie's little eyes.

"You'll love it girls. It's nice and relaxing, and there's lots to do."

"Good."

"Just what we needed, we need to be away from the city." Zoë commented.

"Are we there yet?"

"No Sophie." Her sisters told her.

"Speaking of, when do you think we'll get there?"

"Just a couple of hours." Their father said.

An hour later all three of the girls were asleep; which was good because it was Sophie's naptime anyway.

"So." Monica said softly, "What do you want to do tonight?"

"Well I'm for getting us settled and the girls settled first. Then maybe a quiet walk on the beach before dinner, and then dinner, and then…"

"I agree completely." She smiled.

"Are they all asleep?"

"Yes, they are, and that's good. After all, it is Sophie's naptime, and she wouldn't have gone to sleep if her sister's hadn't too." Monica said, turning around and placing a thin baby blanket over Sophie.

"I want to spend sometime with the girls when we're there too. That's the whole point."

"I know. Me too. And maybe with Gloria and Adam too."

"Yes, that would be good. Which one of the girls do you think has been the hardest?"

"That's easy. Zoë. Well, except for when she was born. When she was born it was easy, she practically fell out of me!" Monica laughed.

"I know. I was there." He laughed too.

"I'm worried Andrew."

"About what?"

"Sophie."

"What about Sophie?"

"I'm worried about moving her to her big girl bed."

"Have you prayed?"

"Of course."

"Then don't worry sweetheart."

"Okay."

………………….

A half hour later, the girls woke up.

"Are we there yet?" Sophie asked again.

"No!" They all said to her.

"Sorry." She said softly.

"That's alright Sophie sweetheart." Her mother told her.

"Yes, it is, because, although we aren't there yet, we're almost there."

"Really?"

"Yes. Really."

"How far is it from New York City to Cape Cod any way?"

"About 230 miles. Why do you ask?"

"Just wondering; that's all." Zoë said.

"Alright girls, welcome to angels port." Their father said as the car stopped in front of a large house on the beach.


	3. Angel's Port

Chapter 3- Angel's Port

Tessa was simply amazed by angel's port. It was gorgeous. The house was huge and white. It towered three stories above her. Ivy grew wildly on the side of the first story of the house. Not to far from the house was the beach. The sky was blue and the air was cool. Monica, Andrew and the girls were the first ones there.

In many ways Zoë had thought that she could never live in a place more beautiful than their house, well on earth anyway, but this place was so beautiful that she couldn't even believe it. Once she got inside, she was even more enchanted with the place. The staircase and the furniture and the floor were made out of white wood. The walls were baby blue. Tessa and Zoë eagerly ran up the stairs. Monica caught Sophie just before she could run off too.

"Mommy, let me go!"

"No little love. I'll go with you."

"Where do I sleep?" She asked as her mother carried her up the stairs.

"With your sisters of course."

Finally they reached the third floor of the house. The third floor was a big open space with two huge light filled rooms and one small bathroom connected to each room. In the girls room there were three twin beds. Monica placed her smallest daughter on one of them.

"This is your bed sweetheart."

"A big girl bed." She smiled.

"Yes a big girl bed." Her dad said.

"Do you like that Sophie?"

Sophie didn't react for a moment; she seemed to be thinking.

"Yes!" She said suddenly.

"Good." Her Dad replied as he kissed her. Her mother did the same and together they left the room.

………………..

"Oh Andrew, this place is so beautiful." She sighed as they reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Not compared with you." He told her as he kissed her.

"Oh Andre…" She giggled as he kissed her neck and gathered her in his arms. An indescribable electricity ran through her body every time he touched her. It was like a fire, and all she knew is that she loved to feel that way. Slowly their lips met and he brought her closer to him. She could feel his hand running up and down her back. The kiss was soft and romantic and made that electricity running threw her just about explode. They finally broke their kiss when the doorbell rang, but only for a second. Andrew couldn't bear to let her go and so the couple shared one last sweet little kiss before breaking apart.

"Can we finish tonight, my love?" Andrew asked.

"Tonight it is." She smiled, and Andrew and Monica went their separate ways.

………………..

"Wow, this is so cool!" Zoë exclaimed as she sat in the window seat.

"Yeah. I just can't wait to get to the beach." Tessa replied as she took her shoes off and tossed them over her shoulders.

"You're going barefoot the whole time we're here, aren't you?"

"Mostly. I don't like shoes."

"They're alright." Zoë said as she watched her baby sister, who was still sitting on her bed, now carefully eyeing her shoes.

"Come on guys, unpack. The faster we do that, the faster we get to the beach."

So the sisters began to unpack, and once they'd finished they changed their clothes went to see the rest of the house. The first and second floors had a lot more rooms than their floor; but the girls liked their own floor better. Despite the fact that Tessa secretly wished that their room had a little balcony, like their parent's room did.

"Mom!" Tessa called once they reached the kitchen.

"Yes." She replied.

"We're going to the beach. See you later!"

"Have a good time girls!" Monica called to her daughters in approval.

………………..

"Can we have ice cream?" Sophie asked.

"Sophie. Daddy already took you out for ice cream once today."

"I know. Can't we go again?"

"No."

"Hey, why don't we build a sand castle?" Zoë suggested.

"Yeah! A sand castle!" She said as she fell to the ground and eagerly began to dig in the sand.

"Oh, Sophie, no, we need water first, and a bucket, and sand castle stuff."

"Huh?"

"I think she's too little to get it."

"Hey I'm three!" she said, holding up three fingers.

"No sweetheart, not for two and a half more months. But you're right. You're almost three."

"Ok, let's see if we can find sand castle stuff." Zoë said, and so the three sisters got up and hand in hand they went back to the house.

………………..

Once they got back to the house they discovered that everyone had arrived and were told to wait until after dinner to go back to the beach. Tessa and Zoë went upstairs to just lye on their beds and talk. Sophie, however set out to find Olivia.

She finally found her sitting on the staircase between the second and third floors of the house.

"Hey Livy."

"Hi." She smiled.

"What's wrong?"

"My Daddy took my books away."

"Oh, I'm sorry. You know, you're the only kid I know our age who can read."

"Don't remind me."

"What are you holding?" Sophie asked, her eyes lighting up upon seeing the doll in Olivia's arms.

"This is the doll my Daddy gave me. I don't know what to do with it."

"You don't?"

"No."

"Come upstairs with me. I'll show you!" She said excitedly as she ran up the stairs. Olivia sighed, her heart heavy and schlepped up the stairs behind her slightly younger cousin.

………………..

"So much for a walk on the beach!" Tessa sighed.

"Why?"

"It's pouring rain outside. This is supposed to be summer!"

"How about a board game?"

"I'd love to. What did we bring?"

"Scrabble."

"Perfect."

"You're on!"

"I still wish we could go on a walk."

"Well, we'll go tomorrow, I have an idea."

"What's that?"

"I figure that we'll have just a few rainy days, and so, why don't we spend those rainy days challenging each other at board games!"

"You're on!" Zoë shouted.

………………..

"I can't believe that she's not talking to me!" Adam exclaimed as he lay on the bed next to his wife.

"Oh sweetie. I told you this would happen if you took her books away from her."

"How can she like them so much? She's three. Most three year olds can't spell their name, let alone read. How can she possibly understand Edgar Allen Poe? Wait a minute, who gave her that book?"

"Okay, I admit it. I took the kids to Borders one day. Michael choose some creepy little Halloween book about bugs, which he was very excited about. Then I asked Olivia what she wanted and she said she couldn't find anything. So I gave her two little books that I thought were cute and I told her to think about which one she wanted while I looked for a book. So we went to the classic section. Michael sat on the floor quietly looking at the pictures in his book while Olivia was looking at books with me. She told me she wanted something creepy, like what Michael got. I didn't think she was capable of actually finding anything in the classic section, but I was wrong. Just as I had chosen something, I felt her tap me on the leg, and she asked me if she could have a book called, "The works of Edgar Allen Poe." So I bent down to talk to her. I asked her if she could even read it. She replied by opening to the first page and reading the whole thing with out error. So I got her the book."

"Wow."

"I tried to get her to get one of the Harry Potter books because those aren't as, well, let's be honest…violent, as Edgar Allen Poe, but she said no. So I got it for Michael. Aren't you proud of her at all Adam?"

"Sure I am. Not everybody has a genius daughter. I just want her to be a kid while she is one."

"Adam, we'll work on the kid thing, but tonight, tell her you're proud of her."

"I will." He smiled, kissing his wife softly.

………………..

After dinner the whole family retreated to the living room to talk and watch the Yankees Game on television. They, of course, were winning. Tessa and Zoë sat playing cards at their father's feet while watching the game. Both girls loved baseball, especially Tessa, and their favorite team by far was the Yankees. Michael sat on his father's lap with his Yankees hat upon his head, as baseball was by far one of his favorite things. Tess was also watching the game intently, hoping that the Red Socks would win as she felt that the Yankees won too much. Monica and Gloria loved baseball too, but were too concerned with their little girls who rested on their laps. Olivia and Sophie each held their dolls in their arms, and were completely uninterested in the game.

"So sweetie, what's her name?"

"I don't know Mommy." Olivia gave her mother a deeply confused look. Suddenly the rest of the room began to scream, as obviously something had just occurred in the game.

"Go, go, go!" They began to shout. Sophie covered her ears with her tiny hands and so her mother picked her up and took her up the stairs. Gloria and Olivia followed.

"So, do you know what you are going to name her?" She asked as they reached the top of the stairs.

"Can I name her Anna-bell Lee?"

"No. Why don't you use something that's not from Edgar Allen Poe." Gloria insisted.

"How about Marie Antoinette?"

"No."

"May be Jackie O!"

"No honey, I don't think so. Sweetheart, how about Rose?"

"Rose, I like it." Olivia smiled.

"Me too." Monica said.

"Me too." Came the little voice of Sophie, who held her doll, Bridget tightly in her arms. Monica kissed the top of Sophie's head softly. Sophie glanced up at her mother and blew her a kiss. Monica smiled.

"So, what did you girls do today?"

"Well, Sophie taught me a lot about the art of dolls."

"What did you learn?"

"Grandma said she's my friend; and Sophie taught me how to be her friend."

"That's great sweetheart!" Gloria hugged her daughter; Monica didn't miss the happiness that shined in Gloria's eyes.

"Now what do you girls want to do?" Monica asked.

"Not baseball."

"Not baseball!" The girls screeched.

"Ah, girls, baseball isn't that bad, you'll like it when you're older."

"Remember when Tessa was forced to like baseball?" Gloria laughed.

"What happened?" Olivia asked.

"That's her story, ask her, I'm sure she'll be happy to tell it to you."

"Okay, that sounds like great fun!"

"Yeah!"

"So, what do you want to do, it's all up to you guys." Olivia and Sophie exchanged glances and then looked back up at their mothers.

"May be we'll just sit for a while." Olivia yawned.

"Yeah." Sophie agreed, closing her bright blue eyes and laying her head against her mother. Monica smiled and looked up at Gloria who returned her smile. It didn't take that much longer for both girls to fall asleep. So their mother's put them to bed and kissed them goodnight.

"That was surprising." Gloria laughed, closing Olivia's door.

"Not really." Monica said, doing the same with Sophie's. "They're little girls and they've had a very long day."

"Yes they have. I'm surprised she's not more depressed by her books."

"Me too. What are you going to do now?"

"Try to get my little Yankee fan into bed. But that's not going to happen, not until the game's over anyway."

"Well the game has to end sometime. Meanwhile I don't care how late Tessa and Zoë stay up. They're old enough." She smiled.

………………..

An hour later the Yankees won, nine to four. Tess rolled her eyes at another New York victory and went to the house's library to catch up on her reading. Gloria and Adam took Michael to bed. (He had fallen asleep right after his favorite team had won). Tessa and Zoë were not in the least bit tired and insisted upon staying in the living room all night playing board games and watching Saturday Night Live. Monica and Andrew went to check on Sophie, who they were happy to find sound asleep. After that they went to their room.

"So, what about tomorrow, Andre?" She asked, lying on the bed.

"How about a walk on the beach like we couldn't have today?" Andrew asked as he lay next to her and pulled his shirt off. "Why don't we help the girls build their sandcastle?"

"I'd like that." She said as she put her arms around him and kissed him softly.

"Oh Angel Girl." He kissed her lips firmly.

"Andre." She whispered softly but was stopped when their lips met again. He gathered her in his arms and held her tightly. Her heart pounded wildly as their kiss deepened. She opened her eyes and looked into his, she fell in love all over again. Butterflies flew around in her stomach. He pulled away and looked at her, just for a split second, and then they could hold back no more as their lips collided once more.


	4. Happenings in the night

Chapter 4- Happenings in the night

"Come on, let's go."

"Go where?" Tessa asked as she rolled the dice and took another bite of popcorn.

"Out."

"Out?"

"Yeah, it stopped raining, why don't we just go for a walk on the beach, and see the house."

"Zoë. We can't Mom and Dad will punish us. And Grandma will kill us. And can you imagine if the father disapproves?"

"I don't even want to think about that. You're right." Zoë sighed. "I guess we'll just have to wait until tomorrow."

"Yes, we will, now sit down and take you're turn, I'm winning." Tessa said.

"This game loves you."

"No I'm just good at it."

"Let's take a break." She said, getting up abruptly, just as her sister was about to roll the dice. "Let's get some ice cream."

"Okay." Tessa followed her.

………………..

Monica awoke several hours later in her husband's arms. He had wrapped his arms around her in a protective fashion, and she had a hard time getting him to let go. He was fast asleep, she turned over to look at him closer and she kissed him. She loved him so much he was probably one of the best things that had happened to her. Soon she settled back into his arms and tried to fall asleep; but she couldn't so she put on her robe and retreated downstairs. She went to the kitchen for a glass of water, where she ran into the girls, having ice cream, upon seeing this she decided to join them.

"Hi Mom!" Tessa said, "Care to join us."

"You read my mind." She said pulling up a chair and sitting with the girls. Zoë pulled out an extra bowl and spoon.

"We're glad you're here. Couldn't sleep?"

"Yes, I just woke up randomly." She laughed. "What about you two?"

"We never tried." Tessa admitted.

"That's okay, it's summer. You deserve it." She smiled.

"How's Sophie doing with the big girl bed?"

"Wonderful, she loves it." Monica said, eating her ice cream as she talked. "In fact, after ice cream I should go and check on her."

………………..

Early the next day, Andrew, Monica and the girls were walking on the beach. Or, rather, Andrew and Monica were walking, Tessa and Zoë were walking about twenty feet a head of them and Sophie was running as fast as her little legs could carry her in order to keep up with her sisters. Monica laughed as she watched their littlest girl.

"She's so cute, isn't she?"

"Yes, she is. Do you think that can be considered an accomplishment?"

"What?"

"That our children are so cute." He asked.

"Maybe. Can you pick a favorite?"

"Of course not."

"Neither can I."

"They are cute for different reasons though."

"Yes, they are. For example, I love Zoë's eyes."

"Tessa looks just like you."

"And that's a reason for her to be cute?"

"Yes." He stopped and kissed her softly.

"What about our wee Sophie?"

"She's just cute all over. Her personality, especially."

"Yes. I agree." Monica said, as they came up to where Sophie was sitting by herself in the sand, playing with a shell she'd found.

"What are you doing, Sophie?" Andrew asked. His daughter smiled sweetly at him as she proudly held up the shell she'd found.

"That's pretty sweetheart." Her Mother smiled as both of her parents got down on their knees in an attempt to be closer to her level. "Do you think it's pretty?" Sophie nodded in reply.

"Hey, um where are your sisters?"

"I don't know." She said, clearly clueless.

………………..

"Tessa, Tessa, that's it!"

"What's what?" Tessa asked.

"The house. The house Dad was talking about." Tessa stopped and looked up. Up on the high cliff before them was the house their father had warned them of.

"Dad said not to go near it."

"There are no such things as ghosts! He's probably just making it up."

"Probably being the key word."

"That's right." Tessa rolled her eyes at her little sister.

"Come on Tessa, we never have fun!"

"Yes we do!"

"Okay, that's not what I met, I met that we never do anything spontaneous, or out of the ordinary."

"We glow and we can't die, how much more out of the ordinary do you want to be?" She asked sarcastically.

"Fine then, I'm going." Zoë said as she began walking towards the house, leaving her sister standing there in the sand. Tessa pondered this for a moment as she did every time that Zoë decided to do something that she wasn't supposed to. Should she go with her, or should she not? Came the age-old question. Tessa sighed as the age-old answer came to mind; and that was to go with her, so nothing would happen to her.

"I just want you to know that I'm not particularly happy with this."

"Okay." Zoë said, she didn't care.

So the sisters made their way up to the house. By the time they got there Tessa was even curious about what was really in the house. Or who was really in the house. She felt like if there were to be a ghost she'd have no idea what she'd do; how she'd react. Finally they came to the door of the big, dilapidated house. Zoë knocked. No answer. She twisted the doorknob and the door swung open with a _squeak! _The girls tiptoed into the house; careful to not make a sound. They clung to each other's hands tightly as they walked down the long, dark, obviously once grand corridor into the depths of the house. Zoë could tell that Tessa was scared. Her palms were so sweaty. Tessa made the same observation regarding her sister. The girls were being very careful about how they walked and were sure that they were making no unnecessary noise. Suddenly they heard footsteps behind them; the sisters turned instantaneously. They exchanged brief glances as they turned back to walking. Then suddenly, the hallway ended, and ran into another hallway facing the other direction, which presented them with the dilemma of not knowing which way they should go. The sisters peered down the left side of the hallway. It looked a little bit lighter than the right side. Tessa wanted to go down the left side, but Zoë pulled her sister down the right, darker corridor.

Tessa felt very apprehensive about this and she tugged at Zoë's hand. They walked down the hallway further and further until they reached a room. It looked to be a dining room of sorts. There were suits of armor standing near the fireplace, each of them holding spears. It reminded Tessa of Miss Havisham's room in Great Expectations.

"Tessa, I'm scared." Zoë whispered, her voice reaching a normal level by the end of her sentence. Those had been the first words uttered when they were in the house. Suddenly a chill came over them and they felt they were not alone. Suddenly a spear flew out of the hand of one of the armored suits. With out a word the girls fled the room, running faster than they'd ever ran in their lives. Zoë was speechless and Tessa muttered the Lord's Prayer under her breath. Both sisters clung to each other like they'd never let go. Once they got outside they continued running. The thought occurred to Tessa that if they had a car they would have got in, drove until it ran out of gas, got out and kept on running. Both girls breathed a huge sigh of relief when they saw their parents and they ran straight into their father's arms, by this time they were both shaking and crying their eyes out. Monica, sensing that something was horribly wrong, picked Sophie up and held her close.

"Daddy, it was horrible!" Tessa said, sobbing into her father's shirt. Zoë couldn't even talk.

"What happened?" He asked his daughters, very concerned.

"We went to the house." Tessa whispered.

"You mean the one I strictly forbid you from?" Both girls nodded silently as they cried.

"We weren't alone." Tessa explained quietly. "It tried to kill us."

"Well," he said as he wrapped his arms around the girls. "Let's go back to the house and talk about this." His wife followed.

………………..

"So," Andrew said as they sat down in the kitchen to have ice cream. "Why did you disobey me?"

"Because Zoë thought that going to the house would be fun." Tessa said.

"Oh you did, did you?" Zoë nodded silently.

"Okay girls. I'm glad you're feeling better. And I love you. But I'm afraid you're not leaving this house for two weeks."

"Two weeks!" The girls groaned.

"Two weeks. Don't worry." He told them, as he kissed the tops of their heads as he left the room. "You'll find stuff to do."

"Wow two weeks. Thanks Zoë!"

"Sorry! I thought it would be fun. I thought Daddy was kidding! Hey, we're in this together, don't be so mad at me!"

"Okay, and you're right. We are in this together. I forgive you."

Zoë smiled back, thrilled that her sister was not unhappy with her in the slightest.

………………..


	5. Faith is the key

Chapter 5- Faith is the key

All three of the girl's birthdays were fast approaching. Tessa would be eighteen in just four days. Zoë's birthday, July the fourth was the biggest night of the year, and Sophie would be three by the middle of August. All three of them had president's birthdays, something that only Olivia had just recently observed. Tessa and Zoë weren't close to finishing with their punishment, but their father had forgotten all about it, or, at least that's what Zoë though. Tessa knew that he hadn't really forgotten about it, but that he had decided to just forget about it. They were thankful, as they had grown very tired, even after a day, of having less freedom than their two-year-old sister.

Michael had spent the last two days trying to teach his sister how to act like a normal three year old kid. It went pretty well the first day, but the second day was purely disastrous. He groaned at the thought of another day of teaching her how to be a kid. But, he was eager to receive what his sister had promised to do for him if he taught her. She had offered to teach him to read. He wanted to read, because he longed to be as smart as his sister, but mostly because he wanted to be able to see what baseball teams won every night on the tickertape on the news.

Only Tess was a little lonely. Andrew and Monica seemed to spend most of their time absorbed in each other. Tess wondered when or if they would ever stop acting like young people in love. Gloria and Adam were very much the same, but the primary focus of their marriage and their relationship was intellectual, not spiritual like it was with Andrew and Monica. All the siblings spent their days together, so she was alone in the day and in the night when everyone else was asleep. That morning she left the library, where she spent her nights reading and headed into the kitchen.

"Hi Tess." Came a voice. Tess almost screamed when she turned around and saw Sam. He laughed.

"It's nice to see you here, but what are you doing here?"

"I'm here because you're lonely, my friend." Tess smiled.

………………..

Andrew held his wife in his arms as they watched their children play from their bedroom window. Monica laughed, the sight warmed her heart, Andrew smiled. All three of the girls were playing tag and their shrieks of laughter could be heard from where their parents stood.

"All my girls are so beautiful." Andrew smiled, kissing his wife's cheek. "I can't believe that our oldest baby is almost eighteen."

"Neither can I, but look, she still plays with her sisters. Games that even Zoë is too old to play now. But they don't care they still have fun together."

"I know. I'm so glad they love each other so much." He rubbed her arms and kissed her neck.

"So am I. I hope that they always will. And everything's finished for their birthdays, right?"

"Right."

"I'm just making sure. They mean the world to me ya know?"

"Yeah, me too. I love you."

"I love you too!" She squealed as she turned around and threw her arms around him. He pulled her closer to him and kissed her lips softly. When their kiss ended, he kissed her again, having her in his arms, even after so many years of marriage was still an amazing, wonderful gift.

"I still can not believe how much I love you. Not even after all of these years, and after the girls."

"Me neither." She smiled.

Andrew smiled and kissed his wife again.

"Your so pretty, your soul is so pretty."

"You're the most gorgeous man I've ever met. And the most compassionate too. You're a great husband and a most excellent Daddy."

"Thank you, my sweet heart."

"Do you want to go play with the girls?"

"I'd love to." He smiled, taking her arm, and together, they went outside.

………………..

"Hi Livy." Gloria met her daughter as she entered the twin's room. Olivia was leaving.

"He's impossible." She said referring to her brother. Gloria caught her little girl just before she was about to leave the room.

"What did he do?"

"He's teaching me how to be a kid and I'm teaching him how to read so he can find out the scores of the baseball games. But he just won't concentrate long enough to listen to me."

"Sweetheart, why are you taking lessons on how to be a kid?"

"So Daddy will like me."

"He does like you honey, he does, honest."

"Then how come he can't except me the way I am?"

"Because he wants the best for you, my darling. I don't think there are any other three year olds who are smarter than you, and that's a hard burden to bare. It's a responsibility. Daddy just wants you to find a balance…to have fun."

"Can I have Plato's The Republic back?"

"No." She said.

"Why not?"

"Because Daddy said no. Try what he wants you to do sweetie. Go back in your room and play with your brother. Focus on that. You might be surprised at how fun it is." Gloria turned her little girl around and pushed her back into her room. Gloria smiled as she watched her children she had faith that things would work out fine.

………………..

A while after Monica and Andrew went to watch the girls the sky began to grey a storm was coming. Tessa was excited, she loved the rain. She and her sisters wanted to stay out in it, but their parents brought them back inside as soon as it began to sprinkle.

"Outside Mommy pwease?" Sophie asked.

"No honey, it's too cold out." She took her little girl in her arms. "Why don't we go have a snack, huh?"

"Okay." Sophie agreed.

"It looks like it's going to be a big one." Tess said, looking at the window as Monica set Sophie down on one of the kitchen table chairs.

"Yes it does. It's summer, I hope it's only like this for a while."

"It'll probably pass over quickly angel girl."

"Play outside pwease."

"Sophie, what did Mommy just tell you?" Monica asked.

"No outside."

"That's right, no outside." She smiled as she gave her littlest daughter a sippy cup full of warm milk. "Go play inside with your sisters, and don't spill your milk, okay?" Sophie simply nodded and wandered off to find her Dad and her sisters. Monica laughed as her daughter left the room.

"It seems like just yesterday that Tessa was her age."

"I know." Monica smiled.

"I can't believe that Tessa is almost grown up."

"Neither can I. I just love her so much. I'm so proud of her, but I'm going to miss my little girl." Monica began to cry.

"Oh darli'n come here." Tess held out her arms and Monica gladly ran to them.

"You know this had to happen sometime, don't you?"

"I know. A lot of things have to happen sometime and you know what I'm talking about." More tears came to her eyes as she spoke of this.

"I know they do baby, have faith. Faith is the key."


	6. The secret is out

Vacation VI- The secret is out

"Ready to go up in the air Sophie?" Andrew asked, lifting his youngest daughter high into the air. Andrew lay on the ground on his back. Sophie shrieked with laughter. As Tessa watched, she remembered times like that that she'd had with her father when she was Sophie's age. To her that seemed like a long time ago, like it had been forever, yet, it also seemed like it had only been yesterday. She wondered where all of those years went.

Meanwhile, the rain and the wind pounded outside. Tess watched from the kitchen as the boats tied up at a nearby dock rocked in the water. She wondered if a hurricane was on its way. She turned on the television, in an attempt to see the weather forecast. So far there was no hurricane warning, but Tess was not so sure.

"Daddy?" Zoë asked as she looked out the living room window.

"Yeah."

"What's wrong with the weather?"

"Nothing sweetheart." Her father reassured her, but Zoë wasn't so sure. Even so, she retreated to the window.

"What do you girls want to do tonight?" Andrew asked them. He always asked his children's opinions. The three girls shouted different things at once.

"Tessa, you first."

"I just think that we should have a fire in the fireplace. The weather's right for it after all."

"We can do that? And Zoë?"

"I think we should all just be together." She said, her mind seemed to be off in the distance.

"No problem. And Sophie? Sophie?" He asked, and realized that she was asleep.

"Daddy, we forgot about her nap." Tessa told him, lifting her baby sister out of their father's arms. "I'll put down for her nap, don't worry." She smiled and took a sleeping Sophie up the stairs.

"Zoë." Andrew asked as he sat up. "Do you want to help me build the fire?"

She simply nodded and followed her father outside.

………………..

As their Dad was busy trying to build a fire in the fireplace, Tessa and Zoë sat curled up together on the couch. The weather had changed so rapidly that by this time the two sisters were freezing.

"I know you had a lot planned tonight, babies. But I have an announcement to make." Tess calmly said after she came into the room, pulling Monica along with her. Tessa could see that her mother had been crying.

"What is it Tess?" Andrew asked, looking not at Tess, but at his wife.

"Our little Zoë has her first assignment."

"No Tess! No!" Monica sat on the couch and pulled Zoë and Tessa into her arms.

"Yes babies, what do you think Zoë?"

"I'm not ready. Can't till we wait until I'm fourteen, like Tessa?"

"No sweetheart, the Father wants you to do this now."

"When does she leave?"

"Right now, angel boy."

"No Daddy help me, please!" Zoë cried as she buried her face in her mother's shoulder.

"I know you don't want to go, sweetheart, but you have to. You'll be fine. Look at Tessa. She's been doing this since before Sophie was born, and look how good she is at this now. You want to be like her, don't you?"

"Yes." Her sister nodded as she cried. Tessa smiled at her father's subtle compliment.

"Come on baby, it's time." Tess held out her hand. Tessa threw her arms around her sister, and both of her parents kissed her. When she had finished with her good-byes she held out her hand for Tess to grab.

"One more thing." Tess said. "Zoë will be needing an older angel to guide her. Tessa, you have been chosen."

………………..

The girls had been shipped off on assignment, leaving Andrew and Monica alone and shocked.

"I wonder what their assignment will be." Andrew thought aloud.

"I don't know, I just hope Tessa is back in time for her birthday."

"Me too." He told her, rubbing her shoulder as his wife began to sob loudly.

"Oh sweetheart, it's alright, it's alright."

"No Andrew, they are going to find out!" She cried as he held her in his arms.

"They had to sometime." He told her as he kissed her. "Let's go have a nap, Sophie's asleep." Monica nodded and allowed her husband to drag her up the stairs.

………………..

"We're back at the house!" Zoë's tone was one of surprise.

"Yes baby, we are. And it is up to you to find out what is in there."

Tessa and Zoë exchanged horrified glances.

"No!" They shouted collectively. "We won't do it."

"Babies you're in this together, and the father is with you. Do not fear the evil in this house. It will not overwhelm you like it did last time."

The sisters were comforted by this thought and they smiled at each other. Tessa took her little sister's hand. Tessa was having a more than good time at home, but she was happy that this assignment had come, for it was her first foray into the world of being a supervisor.

"What are we supposed to do?"

"Just explore the house girls. You'll know what you're looking for once you find it, and you'll know what to do."

Both girls simply nodded.

"I love you." She told them. They hugged her and she disappeared once she pulled away from their embrace.

"Do we have to go in Tessa?" Zoë asked quietly.

"I would've thought that you would've wanted to Zoë."

"I'm scared now."

"I am too. Come on."

The girls ventured into the house. The door squeaked as Tessa opened it. Zoë clung to her hand as they walked. Tessa could sense the fear that rushed through her little sister, and she wished that she could comfort her, but she had no means of doing so. She herself needed comforting. The feeling in this house was something out the pages of Edgar Allen Poe. This time, the sisters turned and ascended the staircase because they had the feeling they should do so. When they reached the top of the third floor where they were told to be, they were met by an iron door.

"How are we supposed to get this open?" Zoë asked. Tessa pressed her hand to the door, thinking that it would open at her touch.

"Zoë, you try to unlock it. Okay?"

"Okay." She said. "Where are you going?"

"Home, I have to get something, I'll be right back. Don't move." And with that, Tessa disappeared. Zoë was alone and scared to death. But as she stood there absentmindledy trying to open the iron door her fear began to fade ever so slightly.

Not knowing what they would meet behind the iron door, Tessa ran home to retrieve the family gun. Of this gun her mother did not approve. Tessa, however approved of the idea. When she had reached the proper age her father had shown her where it was and how to use in case of an emergency. The gun was locked and kept in a proper place. She got a latter and climbed to where it was located in her father's closet. She was a short girl, about her mother's size. Zoe would soon tower over both of them. As a short girl, she was even too short to reach the gun box once on top of the small latter. She finally got it when she put a small box on the top step of the latter. She put the gun box safely in her arms and grabbed hold of yet another box on the shelf for support as she climbed down. She didn't know it, but the box she had grabbed for support was loose. She slipped and landed on the floor.

"Ouch!" She yelled. It had really hurt. It took her a second, but then she looked all around her at the contents of the spilled box. She had expected this for a while, and now the secret was out.


	7. The secret is out II

Vacation VII- The secret is out II

As soon as she had cleaned up the closet, Tessa headed for the house. She had so much on her heart now, but Zoë was first on her mind. When she reached the place where she'd left Zoë she found her sister gone and the door open a jar.

"Zoë!" She called as she went through the door. She made sure the gun was hidden in her pocket where she could get to it quickly if she needed it. She felt like she was in a Star Wars film.

She walked quietly down the dimly lit hallway. Rats scurried about her feet, and shadows loomed about her, of their origin she didn't know. Finally she came to the end of the hall. There she could go either left or right. She chose to first go right; there was light at the end of the hallway.

At the end of the hall there was a room, it looked to be a library. It was dusty and ridden with cobwebs. She could see lightening flash threw a little stain glass window. The thunder still rumbled in the background. She was frightened.

"Hello, dear." Came a voice.

Tessa drew her gun and quickly turned around, pointing it at the figure. The apparition of an old woman sat in the chair behind her. She hadn't noticed her before.

"Are, are you Amelia James?" She asked.

"Yes, and don't be so frightened dear. I've been dead for twenty years. Are you an angel?"

"Yes." Tessa nodded breathlessly.

"Are you hear to take me to heaven?"

"No." She said. "Why wouldn't you go when you died?"

"Who told you that?"

"My Dad. He was you're angel of death."

"Oh yes, Andrew, and his wife, Monica. They are your parents?" Tessa nodded.

"I liked them, but I just wasn't ready to go, I am now."

"Why?"

"There are demons there, down that hall. I may be a ghost, but I'm not that type of woman, do you know what I mean sweetheart?"

"Yeah."

"I'm here to take you home." Came a voice. It was Adam. Tessa quietly tried to slip out of the room, eager to find Zoë.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"I, I really need to find my sister. Do you know where she is?"

"Down the hall." Tessa turned to leave.

"Angel Kid…" Tessa turned around.

"Yes."

"For all that your parents did for me…. I want you to have this house." Tessa didn't know what to say.

"Thank you." She said. "Now go with this angel, I know you'll have a wonderful eternity."

"Thank you deary."

And with that, Tessa ran out of the room. When she reached the dark hallway once more she felt paralyzed with fear. It was dark there. Literally and figuratively. She could sense evil all around her. The rats cowered in fear and hurried to the other hallway under her feet. Tessa gulped as she continued to walk into the darkness.

………………..

"Are you okay Moni?" Andrew asked as he held her in his arms.

"I suppose. I'm so worried about our girls in that house Andrew." She turned her head to look up into his face.

"I know. Me too. They will be fine and they will be back soon, so don't worry your pretty head." He kissed her cheek.

"Andrew I have something to tell you."

"What's that?"

"Do you remember all the time that we spent on the island a couple of months ago?"

"Yeah. I could never forget." He smiled, tightening his hold on her.

"Do you remember, when we got back, how we were shocked to find out that I wasn't pregnant, even though we weren't really trying."

"Yeah."

"I went to the doctor a couple of weeks ago…"

"Are we going to have a baby?" He asked.

"No." She said coolly. "I can't…I can't have any more babies Andrew." She broke out crying and she clung to his shirt.

"Oh Monica, Monica, it's okay. It's okay my sweetheart." He kissed her softly through her hair and held her tightly to him. "I am so thankful for the three beautiful little girls you've given me. I love them so much, and I love you so much."

"I feel like, like I should have given you a son too."

"I know angel, but I don't measure our marriage by how many babies we can have. If you remember correctly, we married thinking that we could never have a baby, let alone three."

"I married you for you. And you and I will still be together forever, got that?"

"Yes." She looked into his eyes, tears still pouring out of her own eyes. "Tessa and Zoë are in great danger, and I'm so afraid that we're about to have one baby and not three." He held her, as she sobbed. They prayed together, and then he tried to figure out how to calm her, he knew he couldn't let Sophie see her mother when she was this hysterical.

"I love you forever Monica." He whispered as she cried.

"Forever and ever, Andrew." He kissed her again and rubbed her back trying to calm her. He too had worry on his heart for both Tessa and Zoë. What if she was right, what if they were about to loose their girls? Sighing he spent the afternoon praying as he held her. Then he realized that something he'd vowed to do by then, (years ago), had not been done.

………………..

As Tessa walked down the long dark hallway, she grew increasingly afraid by the second. She stopped when she reached another door. As she opened it, she realized that she was shaking fiercely. She tip toed inside, fearing that she'd collapse on the cold hard ground any second. She looked all around her. The place she was before had all the appearances of a formal Cape Cod residence that was just in disarray. This room however was clean and appeared more like a dungeon in an old stone castle. She felt the presence of evil all around her, the darkness engulfed her. Everything went black. Suddenly a few candles were lit and she could see just a little. A dark figure approached her. She couldn't make it out at all. She and the figure were merely inches apart. The figure lit a single match, a little light to illuminate the darkness. And there Tessa stood, looking into her own eyes.


	8. Faith and the mystery of the summer secr

Vacation VIII: Faith and the mystery of the summer secret I

Suddenly a dim light filled the room and Tessa could see. The first thing that came into sight was the figure before her. When she saw it, or her, rather, it was like looking into a mirror, they were identical. She was afraid and she backed up a little. Tessa could see the look of fear in the girl's eyes and it comforted her a little bit. She was not as dark as their surroundings were. The girl stepped forward slowly. She put her hand out in front of her in Tessa's direction. Without thinking, Tessa did the same and their hands met. In that instance there were two spectacular flashes of light. Tessa began to shine with the bright loving light of God. The girl was covered in a black aura. A shock ran up each of their arms and after a second each yanked their hand away from the other.

"Who, who are you?" Tessa asked.

"Who are you?" The girl insisted, causing Tessa to realize that their voices were also remarkably similar. "Are you an angel?"

Tessa nodded slowly. "And you're a… you're a…"

"Demon? No, I'm a demon in training, and I'm bad at it, I don't want to do it. I want to do good."

"How, why…"

"Because I was kidnapped from a family of angels when I was a baby. And that's what I was created to be, an angel."

"So was I, Hanna." She said, letting the name slip.

"You're my sister, aren't you?" She asked, hesitantly.

"Yes!" Tessa said, as she began to cry.

"Oh praise God for you!" Tears came to Hanna's eyes as she ran into Tessa's arms and the twins hugged. At that moment an intense light shone upon them, and they were out of the dungeon, out of the house, and by the looks of it out of Cape Cod altogether. They were dressed in long, white flowing dresses. This light was a good light, a peaceful light but it was also very powerful and extremely intense. The girls had to shield their eyes from it. Tessa smiled her heart touched deeply, her soul ecstatic, because she knew they were in the very presence of the lord.

………………..

"Are you okay, angel girl?"

"Yes. I just wanted to have another baby."

"I know you did. I did too. Do you know why…"

"I was too upset to care why, I was just trying not to cry."

"It's okay, angel."

"No! No! No! It's not okay! It's not okay!" She began to cry once more. He cupped her face in his hands and firmly pressed his lips against hers.

They broke apart; all that could be heard was her breathing. Tears streamed down her face. He brushed her cheek with his thumb. All he wanted was to make her feel better, and he knew words couldn't do it. He knew that words would keep her thinking. Before she could speak, he kissed her once again. She felt a little overwhelmed by him. She was not in the mood for this. She didn't feel in the least bit sexy, she felt overburdened and sad. But she would have to admit that what he was doing to her did feel nice, which is why she let him continue. She felt his soft lips against hers, his hands gently running through her hair.

"No Andrew, I don't want…to…" She spoke breathlessly.

"Yes, yes you do."

"Yes I do!" She cried as their lips met again.

He rolled over on top of her and in a sense pinned her there. Slipping his hands under her top, he ran them up her bareback. She wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Mommy!" They heard a voice call from up the stairs.

"It's Tessa and Hanna's bath time." She said sitting up, "It's Sophie's bath time, and I mean, Sophie."

"I know what you mean." He said, taking her in his arms and simply hugging her.

"I miss my little girl. What happened to her Andrew? What happened?"

"She's okay, she's okay."

"No Andrew, really. I know she's not okay. I know what she is. I know that they've turned my beautiful little cherub into a demon!" She sobbed into his chest. "I just want to see her anyway. I want to know what she's like. She's our blood Andre, I can't help it."

"I know, I want our baby back too."

"And Tessa, oh poor Tessa, she deserves to know! It's her twin sister! Her identical twin sister!"

"I think she already knows Monica."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because our Tessa's a very smart girl. And because she and Zoë have perfected the art of listing to us every night after we put them to bed."

"That's true."

"I think…" He began. "That she can feel it."

"I see what you mean?"

"You know, that still haunts me. Sometimes I don't think about it at all, but sometimes it just plays in my head over and over and over again."

"What does?"

"When she was taken and you had gotten Tessa back. She was safe in your arms and Monique had Hanna. And she was crying so hard and screaming for me. She was screaming bloody murder and I just couldn't get to her!" He buried his face in his wife's hair, and he cried. "I feel like it's all my fault. And whatever she's been through and whoever she is, is all my fault!"

"It is not your fault Andrew!" She practically shouted through her tears as she moved his head so she could look directly into his eyes. "This is Monique's fault. You know that."

"Yes, I know that Monica. But there are some things a father feels stronger than a mother does. And one of those things is the importance of protection. I lost my ability to protect her when Monique took her from us."

"That's God's job, not yours."

"I know that now."

"He has a purpose in this, we have to keep telling ourselves that."

"I know, I know."

"Here," she said grabbing a tissue off of the nightstand, "dry your tears, we have to go to Sophie."

"Everything will, be okay, angel girl. Everything will be okay, in his time." He kissed his wife softly.


	9. The secret is out III

It was then that Hanna was forgiven and her angelhood was restored to her. The sister angels were set back down onto the earth, onto the beach to be exact, and they stood together in silence for a few moments, merely studying each other's faces. Neither of them believed where they were or whom they were finally standing with. Tessa wanted very much to establish a relationship with her twin, but a matter of supreme urgency came to her mind.

"Hanna. I came down the hall because I was looking for my little sister. Did you happen to see a tall, skinny girl, green eyes, brown hair, about eleven, twelve years old?"

"No." She thought. "I didn't. We have a sister?"

"Two actually, and it's urgent that we find Zoë, I'm very worried about her."

"Oh Zoë! I did see her! Oh my…"

"What?"

"Oh no!"

"What!"

"Oh this is bad, real bad!"

"What happened to my sister!" Tessa screeched angrily as she grabbed a hold of Hanna's shoulders.

"That was the last thing I ever did as a almost demon."

………………..

Zoë found herself alone afraid in the big house. She knew something big was going on and she didn't know where, or who with. She'd been trying to find her way out of the house for some hours now, and she could not. She was freezing, and she ran her hand against the cold window as she looked out onto the beach. She wanted out of that house so desperately, but how?

"Zoë." A voice called out to her.

"Mama?" She asked, the voice sounded like that of her mother's.

"Zoë! Come here." And Zoë walked down the hall toward the prompting voice.

………………..

After a while Monica had recovered. Comforted and reassured by all their prayer and knowing that the Father would make all things right, they had dried their tears and gone down stairs. Gloria and Adam had gone out that night, and Monica thought it was about time, they hadn't been out in forever, it seemed. That left Tess to watch the twins, which she did happily.

Olivia and Sophie ran off together to play as they always did. Olivia was getting much better in her childlike endeavors and she hoped that her father would soon realize that, as they hadn't patched up their relationship just yet. Michael sat on the couch watching baseball with Sam, the Yankees were winning again, and he was very excited, but not surprised at all. Andrew secretly wanted to join them, but instead he stayed with his wife in the kitchen. She was still very depressed because they both still knew that something was very wrong.

"Hi all." Came a familiar voice. One, which in the past was often greeted with fear but was now welcomed with open arms. Monica looked up from the table to see Kathleen standing before them.

"Hi," Monica greeted.

"Are you guys okay?" Kathleen asked as she sat down at the other side of the table. It was clear that there was something wrong. "Oh." Kathleen said, quietly knowing what was bugging them. "It was tomorrow, wasn't it Andrew?"

"Yeah, it was." He said, hugging his wife. "I vowed to find her by tomorrow. Two days before her eighteenth birthday. You know, that image, that sound, it haunts me to this day. When Monique took her she was screaming for me, and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't catch up with her." A few tears poured down his cheeks.

"I'm sorry I couldn't ever find your little Hanna either. I've been assigned to it for sixteen years."

"It's okay." Monica said, fresh tears pouring down her cheeks. Kathleen reached her hand out and Monica took it in her own.

"Where is the birthday girl?"

"We don't know." Monica spoke softly as she clung to her husband's shirt. "She and Zoë are on assignment, and I think there's something wrong." Andrew kissed the top of his wife's head and she began to cry even harder as she clung to him, with both hands now. He rubbed her back and kissed her head.

"It's okay angel girl, it's going to be okay." Tess sat on the other side of Monica and hugged her too. The four angels began to pray.

………………..

"So, let me get this straight. I just rescued my twin from demon-hood, but now, my little sister is a demon! No I can't believe this! We have to rescue her! We have to get her back! Pardon my language, and I don't feel very much like an angel for saying this, but how the hell could you do this to your own flesh and blood! Your own sister!"

"I didn't know she was my sister! I was only told I had one sister, a twin…you!" Hanna was openly crying now. "Monique made me do it! I never would have done it if I'd known she was my sister!"

"But you pretended to be me!"

"I thought she was just some angel! Monique told me she'd turn me human and set me on fire if I didn't do this! Basically, I set up Zoë to take my place. She said Zoë would be better than me."

"Like Count Dooku did with Anakin. Oy, Monique knows her Star Wars, doesn't she?"

"Yes, the emperor is her favorite. She can choke people using her mind like Vader does, I've seen her do it."

"Uhhhh…"

"We can get Zoë back, I know where she is. Come on." She took Tessa's hand and pulled her off towards the house once again.

………………..

Tessa found herself traveling though the same dark corridors once again. Only this time Hanna was pulling her through them at a much faster rate. Finally they came to the same room where they had met, and they came to a door in that room. Hanna hesitated, but she opened it. They raced through the door and quickly hid behind a screen, there was a crack in it, where they could see out into the room. Hanna shoved her sister up to the crack and forced her to look out. Tessa's heart sank when she saw Zoë. She stood before Monique's desk, being interrogated. The room was white, clean and filled with light it could easily fool people into thinking it was an angel's office.

"Are you ready for the challenge?" Monique asked. "This is a very big assignment Zoë."

"Yes Mom." She said.

'Oh no,' Tessa thought, 'She thinks she's Mom!' She wanted nothing more than to jump out and stop this. But to her surprise, Hanna did first.

"No." She said. "Zoë this is not our mother!"

"Tessa?" she asked.

"I'm not Tessa."

"I am." Tessa smiled as she appeared before Zoë. Zoë looked on amazed and dumbfounded.

"Oh what do we have here?" Monique smirked, appearing once again in her black suit and the room returned to its original dark form. Zoë gasped. "It's the little baby angel twins, isn't it? I haven't seen you two together since you were about a year and a half old, what a shame. Oh, I guess that was my fault wasn't it? Oh silly me! Come with me Zoë darling. You'll like it, believe me. You can do what ever you want. No big sisters, no cousins and most importantly no baby sister. You will be the center of attention." This was very tempting for Zoë and she stood there, thinking quietly. Finally Tessa could hold it no more and she grabbed her.

"Zoë. Don't do this. It'll kill Mom and Dad! And me! Come home with us!"

"She isn't your mother Zoë! She tempted me and tricked me, and took me away from my mother when I was just a baby! And I've had to live with her for years! Don't make the same mistake I did! Do not be fooled by her superficiality. If you don't believe us, seek God!" Zoë closed her eyes and began to pray. A moment later she collapsed into Tessa's arms.

"Oh Father, forgive me!" she screamed as she sobbed. Tessa held her sister tightly. "He does Zoë. He does."

"Good-bye Monique." Hanna smiled confidently.

"I'm not done here, but at least I'm rid of you, you little brat!" Monique rolled her eyes and disappeared in a puff of black smoke.

………………….

Monica and Andrew walked silently on the beach, hand in hand. The tears had stopped flowing hours before. Monica felt as though she had no tears left. She felt almost hard inside, almost bitter, but definitely heartsick. She wanted her children so much, and even if she never saw Hanna again, where were Tessa and Zoë? She tried not to think about it…any of it, but she couldn't keep her mind off her twins. Seeing Gloria and Adam with theirs had broke her heart almost everyday since before they were even born. Now her thoughts considering little Hanna were stronger than they'd been in years, probably since just after they'd lost her. She just wanted to collapse in the sand and cry until she had no strength left. Only God and Andrew were holding her up.

Andrew felt guilty as he walked. He rubbed his wife's hand softly as he held it in his own. If only he'd tried harder! If only he tried harder, she'd be here. Andrew had always thought that loosing Hanna was his fault, if only he'd been able to catch Monique! But, it wasn't in God's plan, and somewhere deep inside, he knew that. God had a different plan, a better plan, and Andrew trusted God, no matter how horrible he felt.

"Daddy, Daddy!" He heard a familiar voice, it sounded like Tessa, but there was something different about it. He and Monica turned around instantly.

It was then that that they saw who the voice belonged to. The girl threw herself into Andrew's arms and sobbed. He knew who it was instantly. Monica was slightly confused. 'No!' She thought. 'It couldn't be!' Monica looked down at the girl in her husband's arms and realized that it had to be, and then that it was.

"Oh Daddy! I never forgot you!" She cried. Andrew was crying now too.

"Oh my little angel girl! I never stopped looking for you, not ever! I'm so, so sorry!"

"Oh Hanna! My little Hanna!" Monica sobbed; she began to cry just when she thought she had no tears left.

"Mommy!" Hanna went into her mother's arms. Monica held her tightly, and kissed the top of her head.

"Oh Hanna! Let me look at you sweetheart." She pulled away from Hanna just enough to look at her, but not enough to let go of her. She cupped her daughter's face in her hands and looked into her eyes. "Yes, you're my Hanna! I can see you in those eyes. You have the same little spirit! You're the same baby that left me sixteen years ago! And you're back my precious little angel. You're back!" Monica began to sob again and she hugged her daughter.

Hanna buried her face in her mother's shoulder and cried too. It felt good to be someone's daughter, to be loved. Andrew hugged both of them, enclosing Hanna completely in their embrace. Hanna loved the way this felt and she reached back and gave her father her hand. He took it and squeezed it warmly. Monica and Andrew each placed a kiss on their daughter's head, and then another and another. They didn't care if it was two days before her eighteenth birthday she still was and would always be their baby, and they had missed her so much. They finally rested their heads on top of Hanna's. Tessa and Zoë stood watching a few feet a way. They too cried as they held each other. They smiled brightly at each other, as they both knew that they had just returned from the most important assignment they'd ever had.

"Thank you, father." The sisters whispered, as they looked heavenward.


	10. Home sweet home

"I'm so glad to be home." Andrew smiled as he lye down on the bed next to his wife.

"With everyone safe and sound, right where they should be."

"And the night all to ourselves." He took her chin and guided it towards his. They shared a kiss filled with great love and passion. He took her in his arms, rolling over on top of her. She giggled as their kiss ended. Suddenly their lips met again a golden leaf fell to the ground outside.


	11. Home at last

"Well, good night my precious girls." Monica smiled as she finished the story, she kissed Tessa and Hanna and then Zoe and Sophie. Andrew did the same.

Zoe gave her mother an anxious look, as she didn't want to sleep with Sophie. Sophie was already asleep and she was somehow doing a very good job of pushing her older and much bigger sister out of bed.

"I'll take her Zoe honey." Zoe smiled as their mother lifted Sophie out of her bed.

"Thank you Mommy." She smiled.

"Your welcome."

"No Mom she can sleep with me. As long as…" Hanna added.

"As long as what…"

"As long as you tell me something I didn't know about myself."

"There's a lot you don't know Hanna, but for now I'll tell you this. You're the one who used my bladder as a pillow." Monica smiled as she kissed her. The three girls laughed, their father smiled.

"Okay, just keep in mind to not roll over on top of her!" Monica tucked Sophie in bed with Hanna.

"I love you girls, night." Andrew smiled as he and Monica left, turning off the light and closing the door behind them.

"We have to talk." Zoe said as soon as they had left, she reached over and turned on the light next to her bed.

"Sure what is it?" Tessa smiled.

"You guys should share a room, and I'll move out if you want me too."

Tessa looked surprised and hurt. She didn't say anything.

"Oh no Zoe, I wouldn't dream of it. Besides, you and I have to get to know each other better." Zoe smiled at Hanna's remark.

"Yeah, and besides, there's plenty of room in our room for the three of us."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." Tessa and Hanna answered consecutively. At once they turned to look at each other. They all laughed.

"Good." Zoe smiled, "because I didn't really want to move out!"

"How long have you lived in that room?" Hanna asked.

"Eleven years, eleven months and oh, almost eleven days."

"That's quite a while."

"Yeah, well, it was your room first, in the first place."

When Zoe finally closed her eyes and went to sleep that night, she had a twinge of hope in her heart that she her best friend still loved her.

………………….

Monica and Andrew said good night to their little girls and arm in arm, they went upstairs to bed.

"Monica." Andrew whispered as soon as his head hit the pillow. "We have all our babies back."

"I know." She smiled. To him her smile seemed brighter than it had been in years. "I can't wait too see what it's going to be like, to live with the four of them. Do you know what's going to happen?"

"What?" He asked.

"Tessa and Hanna are going to be home with us, for a year, just being the twins they never got to be."

"Really? That's going to be so nice, for them, for us…"

"I know it is." She smiled as he kissed her.

Monica closed her eyes as her husband pulled her closer to him. Their kiss deepened. She smiled as he ran his hand through her hair.

"The girls are asleep." He smiled as he pulled away from her.

"I know." She grabbed him and kissed him again.

………………….

Soon the girls birthdays arrived. By this time the family, even Zoe, had adjusted rather well to Hanna's presence. Tessa and Hanna were excited about this birthday, it was their biggest yet, and today was the day that they were to stop growing and changing. Whatever they looked like when they glanced in the mirror that morning they would look like forever. They sighed with relief to find that they looked just the same as they had the day before. The twins spent their day in their room with Zoe, for the most part anyway. The party would be later.

That night when the party was over the girls walked down to the shore and watched the sunset. They were so happy, there had been so many great surprises and it had been such a happy day. They wore matching dresses and matching pearls that they had gotten for their birthdays.

"I can't believe we've made it this far." Tessa said.

"I can't believe I'm here! And I don't want to leave you."

"Girls!" Monica called.

The twins spun around at once to face their mother and father.

"We have one more surprise for you?"

The girls glanced at each other, how could there be any more surprises?

"Hanna, Tessa you two get to spend the whole year at home together, just being the sister's you never got to be." The twins squealed with delight and ran into their parent's arms. They all hugged and their souls sighed in relief.

………………….

About a week later, they all headed for home. Tessa and Zoe were excited to show Hanna their room as was Sophie. Michael was looking forward to his next Yankees game, and Olivia who turned out to be pretty great at being a kid was looking forward to getting her books back. As for Tess, she was just happy that her family was at peace once more and she, as they all did, thanked the father for answering the prayer she always knew that he would answer in his time. As for Monica and Andrew, they had been homesick.

"I'm so glad to be home." Andrew smiled as he lye down on the bed next to his wife.

"With everyone safe and sound, right where they should be."

"And the night all to ourselves." He took her chin and guided it towards his. They shared a kiss filled with great love and passion. He took her in his arms, rolling over on top of her. She giggled as their kiss ended. Suddenly their lips met again a golden leaf fell to the ground outside.


End file.
